Sunday, February 21, 2016

I originally started this
blog to track reading through my bookshelves after I watched Julie & Julia and was inspired to
read and blog.As any of you (five –
thanks for being faithful!) followers can see, I didn’t do real great with the
bookshelf part.Ooops!There are just so many great books out
there.My “To Read” list grows far
faster than my “Read.”

Anyway, so partly due to that
and partly due to my life changing, I feel like it’s time for my blog to change
as well.Part of that is getting an
easier URL.I was not wise in putting all
those hyphens in this one.J

Mommy Reads Books is leaning
more towards where I want my blogging to go.I don’t in any way imagine myself some inspirational or entertaining
Mommy Blogger.But I do want to start
incorporating more of my everyday life and rambling thoughts into my blog.So while there will still be book reviews,
there will be more personal posts as well.

I hope you’ll join me over at
my new blog (although right now the only thing there are the posts I
transferred from here).My goal at this
point is to post *something* once a week.

Retired hall-of-fame football coach Jimmy Westbrook never imagined anything
would come of his labor of love—building a wedding chapel for Collette Greer,
the woman he fell in love with in 1949. But now a realtor wants the land the
chapel sits on, and he sees no reason to hang onto the past.

Photographer Taylor Branson is trying to make a life for herself in New York.
Leaving her hometown of Heart’s Bend, Tennessee, she put a lot of things behind
her, including her family’s string of failed marriages. When she falls
head-over-heels for Jack Gillingham, a top ad man, their whirlwind romance and
elopement leave her with doubts. Jack, while genuine in his love for Taylor,
can never seem to find the right way to show her he really cares.

When a post-mortem letter from Taylor’s Granny Peg shows up, along with an old
photo, she is driven to uncover family secrets and the secret to her own
happiness, starting with an assignment to photograph an unknown, obscure
wedding chapel back in Heart’s Bend.

Taylor begins a mission to convince Jimmy that the chapel is worth saving—and
that forgiveness and healing might happen within the chapel’s walls . . . for
both of them.

My Review:

I
received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in
exchange for my honest review.

I
requested this book because I have read and enjoyed several of the author’s
books previously. So when I saw she was
releasing a new one, I started stalking NetGalley until it was available. I went into the reading expecting a sweet
romance on the lighter side. While that’s
not what I received, I wasn’t disappointed.

This
book has more depth and tackles weightier topics than the others I had read by
Hauck. The narrative travels back and
forth between present day and the generation past. Telling the stories of newlyweds, lost love,
family dysfunction, and lies alongside first love, hope, and redemption. The romance was realistically handled in all
relationships.

The
characters were decently developed.
Their actions were a bit more predictable than I like, but I did still
feel like I could connect with them and understand their motivations. The narrative is told from multiple points of
view. So it was a very well-rounded
tale.

I
was confused at the start of the book and was sometimes startled out of the
story by a switch in time and point of view.
However, once I got into it the pacing was great; I had no issues following
the flow. There was a lot of conflict in
this book – both internally and between the characters. The conflict and the processing of it is what
moved the story along.

There
were several grammatical errors and issues.
Those grated on my nerves.
However, I’m hoping and assuming they were fixed between the Advanced
Reader Copy and the final book printing.

My
other slight gripe was the heavy spiritual content towards the end of the
book. The God content and spirituality
was there throughout. But more as
another character and in an incorporated way for most of the book. However, towards the end it got a bit
preachy. Which, I realize that sometimes
in our lives we just need to hear the Word clear and straight. So it’s only a minor complaint that it didn’t
all stay smoothly integrated.

While
I don’t think there is any graphic content, there are some trigger topics for
sensitive readers: premarital sex and
infidelity being two of the larger ones.

I
think this book appeals to women who like books about complicated relationships
but still enjoy a happy ending. I
certainly enjoyed the reading of it.

Summary from Goodreads:The padded board book edition of Goodnight, Ark tells the story of Noah and the animals as they try to sleep through the storm that is raging outside. But when the storm gets louder boars, quails, elephants, snakes and a few other furry friends join Noah in bed, creating quite the commotion! Author Laura Sassi brings a new dimension to one of the Bible’s most popular stories, giving a delightful glimpse into the emotional bond between Noah and the animals in his care. With sleek, buoyant verse and eye-catching illustrations by New York Times bestselling illustrator Jane Chapman, this read-aloud bedtime tale is sure to become a favorite of children and parents alike.I ran across this book in the book section of Sam's. After flipping through it briefly (while trying to keep Little Boy from grabbing all the books within reach), I decided to see if our library had it. I like to check out books from there before I make the commitment to buy. This one is definitely buy worthy. Such a cute story. Little Boy has requested it at nap and bedtime for the last three days. The prose has a nice rolling, rhyming rhythm. It is easy and fun to read with all the animal noises. While he doesn't get the funny surprise towards the end, I chuckle each time.And the illustrations by Jane Chapman - amazing! They add to the fun and feel of the book as a whole. Sometime we just flip through and look at the pictures, naming the animals while I admire the artistry. If you have a little one, I highly recommend this read.

When
teenage movie star Graham Larkin accidentally sends small town girl Ellie
O'Neill an email about his pet pig, the two seventeen-year-olds strike up a
witty and unforgettable correspondence, discussing everything under the sun,
except for their names or backgrounds.

Then Graham finds out that Ellie's Maine hometown is the perfect location for
his latest film, and he decides to take their relationship from online to
in-person. But can a star as famous as Graham really start a relationship with
an ordinary girl like Ellie? And why does Ellie want to avoid the media's
spotlight at all costs?

THIS! This is what YA romance should be like. No sex.
No grit. Not chock full of foul
language (Actually, there was none). Instead, a sweet, fun story of first
loves. I couldn’t help but like Ellie
and Graham from their first email exchange.
They are funny and sarcastic and just cute. I enjoyed the story that developed and was
excited to know there was a novella sequel.
Which I promptly read.

Happy Again (This
Is What Happy Looks Like #1.5)

Jennifer E. Smith YA

Synopsis from Goodreads:

Ellie
O'Neill and Graham Larkin fell hard for each other when a misspelled email
address unexpectedly brought them together. Now, over a year has passed since
they said goodbye with the promise to stay in touch, and their daily emails
have dwindled to nothing. Ellie is a freshman in college and has told herself
to move on, and Graham has kept himself busy starring in more movies, as well
as a few tabloid columns. But fate brought these two together once before—and
it isn't done with them yet.

While I
didn’t love this one as much as the original, I did feel there was better character
development. I liked checking in on
Ellie and Graham while I felt the reconnection scenario was a bit
far-fetched. A fun follow-up.

Between the World and Me

Ta-Nehisi Coates Non-Fiction; Social Commentary

Synopsis from Goodreads:

In
a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history
and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi
Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation’s history
and current crisis. Americans have built an empire on the idea of “race,” a
falsehood that damages us all but falls most heavily on the bodies of black
women and men—bodies exploited through slavery and segregation, and, today,
threatened, locked up, and murdered out of all proportion. What is it like to
inhabit a black body and find a way to live within it? And how can we all
honestly reckon with this fraught history and free ourselves from its
burden?

Between the World and Me is Ta-Nehisi Coates’s attempt to
answer these questions in a letter to his adolescent son.

I’m going
to be honest. I didn’t make it far in
this book. Not because it wasn’t
interesting or because I didn’t desire to read it. The reason is simple: I have two little ones who aren’t affording
me much sleep these days. My brain is
fried. And this is definitely a book you
need your brain sharp and engaged for.

So I gave
it a shot. And now it’s back on my To
Read List. My hope is that I can try it
again in the new year. I think it’s relevant
and important.

Help, Thanks, Wow

Anne Lamott Non-Fiction;
Self-Help; Spirituality

Synopsis from Goodreads:

New
York Times-bestselling author Anne Lamott writes about the three simple prayers
essential to coming through tough times, difficult days and the hardships of
daily life.
It is these three prayers – asking for assistance from a higher power,
appreciating what we have that is good, and feeling awe at the world around us
– that can get us through the day and can show us the way forward. In Help,
Thanks, Wow, Lamott recounts how she came to these insights, explains what they
mean to her and how they have helped, and explores how others have embraced
these same ideas.

Completely
irreverent with some good nuggets tucked in.
I think I would have enjoyed this book infinitely more had I read it as
opposed to reading it. The author reads
on the audio, and I found her voice rather grating.

I do like
the overarching theme that the only prayers we need are “Help!,” “Thanks!,” and
“Wow.”

God, I
need help with something.Be it a health
issue or a job issue; relational or world encompassing.

Thanks, God!For all of those things that we should be
appreciative of in our lives as well as His grace and forgiveness.

And then “Wow!”For those moments when we are bowled over by
the majesty He has created and sustained.

As
Christmas 1946 draws near, thirty-something marine officer-turned-homicide
detective Lane Walker has his hands full. Three men with seemingly no
relationship to each other have been murdered, including the powerful District
Attorney. The only connection between the crimes? The weapons: twenty-year-old
unopened fruitcake tins manufactured by a company that is no longer in
business.

While some foods may be to die for, fruitcake isn't one of them! This heaping
helping of murder will be no easy task for Walker, and he certainly doesn't
need the determined and feisty Betsy Clayton, the political reporter for The
Chicago Herald, getting in the way.

Employing witty dialogue and historical accuracy, The Fruitcake Murders offers equal parts murder, mystery, and mayhem
in a perplexing whodunit set in the days just after World War II.

My Review:

I
received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in
exchange for my honest review.

I
picked this book as I was in the mood for a good mystery. And, hello, the author’s name is “Ace
Collins;” how cool is that? Unfortunately,
I was somewhat disappointed in the actuality of the novel.

The
first turn-off was all of the issues with the text. Several of the time stamps were off or out of
order or didn’t jive with the content of that section. There were many contradictions and
inconsistency as well as poor grammar, misplaced words and missing quotation
marks. As a former English teacher (as
well as having a penchant for details), all of those things strongly affect my
overall reading experience even if the story itself is exceptional.

Also,
just the whole tone of the book was a bit over the top for me. I think the author was going for a “classic
Dick Tracy movie” type feel with the swapping between first and last name
usage, trying on the 1940’s vernacular, etc.
But it just didn’t work. And the
continued reference to how good looking, gorgeous, and handsome everyone was
drove me a bit batty. Even with some of
the content and the date/time tags, it was hard to remember the historical
setting of the book.

That
being said, I think the mystery itself has good bones. While I was pretty certain “whodunit” by the
end, I was waffling between a few different possibilities for most of the
book.

The
characters were definitely very character-y.
They were entertaining but hard to get attached to. And the love triangle was flat
ridiculous.

The
start of the story had me fairly lost.
However, I think that’s pretty typical of mystery books. That’s what
helps make them mysterious. So I was
okay with it. Especially as the book
kept me guessing through most of it. I
changed my thoughts on the murderer a couple of times throughout the course of
reading. That always makes it more
enjoyable.

I
don’t recall any spiritual or supernatural elements. If they were there, I missed them. As far as questionable content, there are
murders. But I think any reader would
expect that from the title. I really can’t
think of any particular triggers this book might contain for a more sensitive or
conservative reader. Even the descriptions
of the murder scenes were pretty tame.

Readers
who enjoy easy to read mysteries would like this story as well. There were actually a few different mysteries
to be solved throughout. However, I don’t
know that I’ll be rushing out to buy the next thing Ace Collins writes. Maybe, though.

***This
review is also posted on The Christian Manifesto and my Goodreads account.***

Pros:

·Good mystery
elements

·Kept me guessing

·Easy to read

Cons:

·Grammatical errors

·Inconsistencies
and contradictions

·Annoying character
interactions

My
Rating:
2.5 out of 5 (I feel like it was poor from a grammatical
and consistency standpoint. But as the
mystery itself was good, I’ll give it a 2.5 for average)

This was our book club book for October. Yes, an odd pick for a book club. However, one of our members saw him when he
came to speak at her school. When she
shared a bit of what he had to say with us (and as we’ve read many a book
dealing with the Holocaust genocide), several of us were interested in reading
his book.

And the verdict was it was interesting. It was confusing at
times to keep different names and distinctions straight. Also mind-boggling was to realize this
genocide happened in such a short time frame.

It made for interesting discussion on what we would each do
in a similar situation.

3 out of 5 (liked it)

The Light Between the Oceans by M.L.
Stedman

I have been hearing about this book from different sources
for at least three years. While I’m thrilled to have finally read it, I’m
bummed that we never chose it as a book club book. Such good fodder for discussion between its
pages.

The prologue gripped me right away. Then I was a bit bogged down with the
character building in the first several chapters. Then the story got rolling again, and I was
completely engrossed until the end.

This is the story of Tom and Isabel and the baby who washed
up under their lighthouse. What a tale
it was. Some parts I saw coming. But I expected something completely from the
end than what Stedman delivered. I’m okay
with that (Again, would be a great discussion.).

Definitely a recommended read. My only caution would be the strong trigger
topics of miscarriage and child loss.

4 out of 5 (loved it)

Bringing in Finn: An Extraordinary Surrogacy Story by Sarah
Connell

Definitely extraordinary.
While I did not love the writing style and some of the spirituality was
a bit out there for me, it was definitely an interesting read.

As someone who dealt with infertility, the stories of others
who have walked through the same always intrigue me. Although we never got to the point of IVF or
surrogacy. The idea of a grandmother
carrying and delivering her grandchild is amazing to me. It is awe-inspiring all the crazy things our
bodies are capable of.

2 out of 5 (just okay)

The Fruitcake Murders by
Ace Collins

Stay tuned for a post with a full review I wrote for The
Christian Manifesto (thechristianmanifesto.com).

Far from the Madding
Crowd by Thomas Hardy

I started this. The
introduction bogged me down, and I gave it up in the first chapter. I’ll try it again later when my infant and
toddler aren’t limiting my sleep to a handful of hours, if that.

Toilet Training in
Less than a Day by Nathan H. Azrin and Richard M. Foxx

I have a 26 month old.
I want him to be potty trained so I’ll just have one in diapers instead
of two. This book came highly
recommended from a mother of three boys.
It was a quick read for certain. The process is nicely detailed out.

However, I don’t think little boy is ready
quite yet. We need to work on the
obeying directions and knowing before he starts going parts. Maybe after the new year when he’s closer to
2.5. And I’ll visit this book again too.

The American Revolution is finally over, and Sophie Menzies is
starved for good news. When her nearest neighbor, General Seamus Ogilvy,
finally comes home to Tall Acre, she hopes it is a sign of better days to come.
But the general is now a widower with a small daughter in desperate need of a
mother. Nearly destitute, Sophie agrees to marry Seamus and become the mistress
of Tall Acre in what seems a safe, sensible arrangement. But when a woman from
the general's past returns without warning, the ties that bind this fledgling
family together will be strained to the utmost. When all is said and done, who
will be the rightful mistress of Tall Acre?

Triumph and tragedy, loyalty and betrayal--readers find it all in the rich
pages of this newest historical novel from the talented pen of Laura Frantz.
Her careful historical details immerse the reader in the story world, and her
emotional writing and finely tuned characters never cease to enchant fans both
old and new.

My Review:

I
received this book as an Advanced Reader Copy via the publisher at NetGalley in
exchange for my honest review.

I
chose this book based on both its cover and the description.I am a fan of historical fiction.I enjoy learning about times past cushioned
in a good tale.I did go into the book
expecting a bit of a mystery to be solved.Since that wasn’t the case, I was a bit disappointed.However, the writing was engaging and I
enjoyed the story overall.

The
book had great descriptions and period information.I really believe that the author, Laura
Frantz, did her research and immersed herself the in the revolutionary time
period.However, I found the dialogue –
especially between Sophie and Seamus – to be stilted.And even Lily Cate, the general’s young
daughter, seemed overly precocious.The
flow of the story was choppy in a lot of places.

Despite
the dialogue issues, I did find myself rooting for Sophie & Seamus to work
out their issues and find happiness.While there wasn’t a lot of character growth in an outward way, a lot of
it was implied internally.

The
romance was both sweet and chastely written.The spiritual elements were well-integrated into the characters and the
story overall.

The
only potentially questionable content would involve a spoiler.Suffice it to say there was nothing graphic
or offensive in the story.

The
novel was very predictable.But most historical
romances are.That’s what makes it a
sweet, comforting read.I believe it
would appeal to women who like to read historical fiction and sometime need a
book that doesn’t require them to think deeply.I enjoyed it overall.